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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28378938">New Year's Eve</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pen_n_Notebook/pseuds/Pen_n_Notebook'>Pen_n_Notebook</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, FMAsecretsanta2020, Family, Fluff, New Year's Eve</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:35:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,384</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28378938</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pen_n_Notebook/pseuds/Pen_n_Notebook</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Winry’s mouth opened about to say something before she stopped and turned to her husband. “Why is there a ninja and an emperor in my house?”</p><p>Ed shrugged, not knowing any more than her. </p><p>***</p><p>FMAsecretsanta2020 gift for lieutenant-sarcastic on tumblr</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Lan Fan/Ling Yao</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>FMA Secret Santa 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>New Year's Eve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Holidays! FMAsecretsanta2020 gift for lieutenant-sarcastic on tumblr. Hope you enjoy. </p><p>I actually don't think Resembool gets a lot of snow due to it's geographic location and Ed and Al's memory of the one time it did snow. Shhhhh. Let's pretend it does snow and enjoy the perfect winter atmosphere. Snow and lights outside. Warmth and family inside.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The living room curtains fluttered in chilly December air. Odd, because Edward and Winry Elric were trying to keep their house warm with their new furnace, not turn it into an icebox on New Year’s Eve. </p><p>Ed stopped and stared, wondering who opened it. </p><p>Their son wasn’t old enough. Standing on his tiptoes, the little blonde boy barely reached the window ledge to peer out at the snow covered fields. Winry was still working in her garage. She and her large pregnant belly spent the past four hours awkwardly, but enthusiastically bent over the latest prosthetic limb in her workshop.</p><p>So who opened it?</p><p>Was it him earlier when he and Bennett were playing? No, Ed thought to himself. He was exhausted chasing a toddler through the house all morning, not senile. Definitely not forgetful. </p><p>Ed shut the window and peered out at the little town of Resembool in the distance. Farm houses  and their barns dotted the horizon, their roofs draped in a blanket of snow. Nothing looked out of place. And just for a moment Ed felt nostalgic for a time that hadn’t even passed. </p><p>He shook his head, pushing the idea away. Sure, he missed this –– the wagon wheel ruts framing the path leading to the house, ice skating on the Myers’ frozen pond until February,, Winry’s little shiver every time she chucked garbage out the back door insisting she didn’t need a coat for those two seconds –– when he traveled across the country with Al in the past. </p><p>But he wasn’t traveling anymore. He was home now.</p><p>How could he miss something that wasn’t even gone? Any plans to travel were put on hold. He and Winry agreed that he wouldn’t leave again, not even for an overnight in East City until the new baby was two years old. </p><p>Ed turned to go back to his study for the rest of Bennett’s nap. He had almost reached the doorway when another cool breeze teased the hair on the back of his neck.</p><p>Ed whipped around. The curtains swayed in front of the open window again. Only this time, they framed two familiar figures perched on the sill. One cloaked in black, perfectly still as a statue behind her mask. The other, eyes squinted shut, smiled merrily with rosy cold cheeks. </p><p>Goddmanit. </p><p>Ed should have known it was them the moment he saw the open window. </p><p>Even underneath the layers of thick, heavy silks they both looked as if a single day hadn’t passed since he last saw them after the Promised Day all those years ago in Central City. </p><p>“Hi there!” Ling Yao waved brightly. “Long time, no see!” he said cheerfully, as if he wasn’t sitting in Ed’s living room window in the dead of winter. </p><p>“Can’t you two use the door like normal people?” Ed muttered to himself.</p><p>Ling must have heard him, because the other man’s cheeky smile insisted they could not.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Ed folded his arms across his chest in annoyance. “Don’t you have a country to run?”</p><p>“Haha,” Ling laughed, but didn’t actually answer the question. Instead he climbed through the window, Lan Fan following behind as his ever steady shadow. At least she had the decency to shut it behind her. “It really has been a long time,” Ling continued, brushing the snow off himself. “It looks like you finally grew up after all.” </p><p>Ed’s temper flared instinctively. “Alright that’s it ––”</p><p>“What is going on here?” Winry demanded, waddling into the living room doorway. One hand pressed against her back to ease the strain of her pregnancy, making her look less intimidating than she sounded. “Ed, you’re supposed to be working during Bennett’s nap, not shouting across town.”</p><p>She froze, wide blue eyes finally taking in the sight of the two strangers in her house. Though she didn’t remember officially meeting Lan Fan, she had met Ling on two separate occasions: first in Rush Valley, and then here in her home. She vividly remembered throwing him out of her bedroom before serving dinner to him and the rest of Ed’s company. That was a strange day. </p><p>Long afterward, Ed filled her in on the details of his identities.</p><p>Winry’s mouth opened about to say something before she stopped and turned to her husband. “Why is there a ninja and an emperor in my house?”</p><p>Ed shrugged, not knowing any more than her. </p><p>“You should have told me they were coming over. I would have cleaned up, but I didn’t even hear the door.” She tugged self consciously at the oversized shirt and mismatching pants. They were her last clean ones, other than the blouse she saved for their special New Year’s dinner tonight–– she knew she should have asked Ed to wash the laundry early this week. </p><p>Normally the motor oil under her fingernails never bothered her. Guests saw her in various states of disarray all the time. Sweaty. Greasy hair pulled back with a bandana. Dark sleepless bags under her eyes months after Bennett was born. Nearly all of those guests were automail clients or  neighbors, not the ruler of a foreign country. </p><p>Overalls and dirty work clothes suited Winry just fine, but she also enjoyed wearing skirts and dresses too. Late pregnancy made her more self conscious than usual. She felt like a stranger in her own body.</p><p>“That’s because they didn’t use the door,” Ed muttered under his breath. “You look fine, Win,” he reassured, walking toward her and laying his hand gently on her arm. “If Ling cared enough, he would have let us know he was coming.”</p><p>Ling gave a small half bow. “Our apologies.” He spoke to Winry (and very clearly not Ed). “We made the decision to stop by rather last minute. We can leave if you like. It’s awfully cold out there, but we can probably find somewhere warm to stay,” he said, purposefully tugging at Winry’s over emotional heartstrings. </p><p>That bastard.</p><p>Winry looked horrified by the idea. “Of course you can stay, we won’t just throw you out.”</p><p>“We could,” Ed corrected half heartedly.</p><p>She continued as if she hadn’t heard her husband. “Take your boots off before the snow melts all over the floor.” The idea of hosting guests for the new year celebrations excited her just a little. “Would you like something to drink, something to eat?”</p><p>“Yes, please! That would be great!” Ling answered. Lan Fan removed her mask at last, smiled, and nodded. </p><p>“I’ll get it,” Ed volunteered, eager to control the serving size before the two mooches could eat them out of house and home. </p><p>***</p><p>Winry waddled into the kitchen. At nearly nine months pregnant she didn’t have a large repertoire of movement. Ed finished filling a pitcher with water from the tap and put two glasses on a tray for Ling and Lan Fan as she came to stand beside him. </p><p>The small act was so domestic and familiar, he just wanted to pull her close and squeeze her tightly.</p><p>“Do you want them to leave?” Winry asked sincerely, meeting his warm golden eyes. “Because they don’t have to stay. It doesn’t matter that it’s the new year. You know them best; if you want me to kick them out, that’s fine. We can tell them I’m going into labor and ––” </p><p>“They aren’t that bad,” Ed admitted reluctantly. “But they will eat everything in this house if you let them. I’m not exaggerating. Don’t let them in the kitchen.”</p><p>Winry nodded. </p><p>But clearly something was still bothering Ed. He looked away quickly, back to the task in front of him. </p><p>Even if her husband thought he was being subtle (and he definitely wasn’t), Winry could read his body language as easily as she diagnosed faulty wiring. Ed was no mechanical prosthetic, but she knew him long enough to see when his fist clenched with stress. His shoulders hunched forward trying to shield whatever burden he carried from her.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” she asked gently</p><p>Ed waved her away. “It’s nothing.” He started cutting slices of apple to put on the snack tray.</p><p>“Edward Elric!” Winry snapped using the same stern voice she used on their naughty toddler. “Do not lie to me,” she commanded. “Something is clearly bothering you. What is it?”</p><p>He sighed. “It’s not a big deal. Really, it’s stupid.”</p><p>“It’s only stupid if you don’t tell me,” she deadpanned.</p><p>He loved her straight forward attitude, even if it frustrated him. Their stubborn personalities clashed just as much as they complimented each other. Sometimes Ed didn’t know if he wanted to fight his wife or kiss her. </p><p>“Fine. It’s New Year’s Eve and I wanted it to be the three of us,” Ed admitted. “Every year we have family and friends around. I just wanted it to be us this once.”</p><p>Oh. </p><p>She leaned sideways and hugged him, though her big belly made it difficult. “It still will be,” Winry reassured. “We don’t have to change how we celebrate. We can still make dinner, exchange gifts, and stay up to watch the fireworks. Nothing about that involves Ling and Lan Fan.” </p><p>That’s why Ed loved Winry so goddamn much. Even though he wanted a quiet holiday he knew Winry missed having a full house. Al was still in Xing, studying alkahistory under Mai, and his absence left an impression every inch of the house. Much to Winry’s disappointment, Granny’s current contract in Rush Valley kept her there until the spring. Growing up, the Rockbell household had always had an open door. He, Al, and the entire town of Resembool took advantage of it. Automail clients came and went all the time. </p><p>Now their house was louder with their son, but not necessarily as full of life as it had once been with their extended families around.</p><p>“It’s not the end of the world,” Ed admitted. “We’ve got lots of food, they’re already here –– might as well share it. Then at the next festival we can brag to the town we hosted the Emperor of Xing.”</p><p>“Is he really the emperor?” Winry asked critically, grabbing a slice of apple for herself. Large as she was, her ferocious appetite still remained. “He doesn’t seem very …” She trailed off trying to summon the right description.</p><p>“Regal. Sane. Diplomatic. Official.” Ed supplied, grabbing another apple to replace the one Winry ate.</p><p>“Royal,” she concluded.</p><p>“That’s because he hasn’t figured out how to use a goddamn door.” </p><p>Winry snorted in laughter. </p><p>Ed shrugged. “If not already, he will be one day. Maybe we can get a straight answer out of him about why he’s here tonight. I’ll take this out,” he said nodding downward to the tray “and then check on Bennett, he may be awake by now.”</p><p>Winry leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.” She shuffled to the door. “I’ll go find a padlock for the pantry.” </p><p>Ed suspected both Ling and Lan Fan would break any padlock they used (no matter how industrial), but it definitely couldn’t hurt to try it.</p><p>***</p><p>Ed sank back into the well-worn couch after dinner warm, full, and happy. If his wife ever decided to quit the automail industry he was sure she could easily become a chef instead. Thinking about the roasted rack of lamb still made his mouth water. Ling and Lan Fan ate their way through the entire table’s worth of garlic mashed potatoes, buttered rolls, savory green beans, and candied yams. The feast was worth every hour spent preparing it. </p><p>And Ed couldn’t even bring himself to care. For once he didn’t need to put away any leftovers. </p><p>So the Xingese duo earned their keep already. He actually enjoyed their lighthearted company. Bantering back and forth, recalling the strangeness of the first time they met in Rush Valley came naturally. Had it really been that long ago?</p><p>The padlock survived a measly 30 seconds under Ling’s scrutiny. But the prince only entered the pantry and cellar to fetch every vegetable, spice, and seasoning (and then some) for Winry. If anything else happened to disappear Winry turned a blind eye in favor of the help. </p><p>Lan Fan’s watchful eye prevented Bennett from covering himself with flour halfway through cooking. She let Winry examine the steel plating of her automail arm. The kitchen still echoed with his wife’s squeal of excitement seeing it. The rolls nearly burned because the two women were so engrossed in conversation they didn’t hear the timer ring. </p><p>After standing all afternoon, dividing his attention between cooking, catching up with Ling and Lan Fan, and wrangling Bennett, Ed’s good leg ached fiercely. Maybe he was just getting old. The dark warm house nearly lulled him to sleep. </p><p>If it weren’t for the fireworks bursting overhead, he would have already passed out.</p><p>He turned to look at Winry’s profile, lit by the colorful flashes of light from the window. She cradled Bennett on her shrinking lap. His little blonde head rested against her chest, mouth open, and leaving a wet patch of drool on her blouse.</p><p>It was late. How she hadn’t collapsed from exhaustion yet was beyond him. </p><p>Gently, Ed took her hand in his. </p><p>“Happy New Year,” Ed whispered.</p><p>“Happy New Year,” Winry repeated. Through the window the New Year’s fireworks glowed red, green, then yellow as they rained downward over the town. They admired the sight for another moment before she spoke again. “Are you ready for your gift?”</p><p>Oh yeah, after all of the food he had completely forgotten the last tradition of the holiday.</p><p>“Me first,” Winry said excitedly. With some effort, she pulled a small box from her between herself and the arm of the couch. It was red. A wire ribbon wrapped around it like a bow. </p><p>Carefully, Ed unfolded the bow, untwisted the wire, and lifted the lid. His heart melted. Ed looked up between Winry and the gift in aww. Inside the box sat a shiny new pocket watch. The cover gleamed in the faint flashes of light from the window revealing a hand carved engraving of the Flamel Cross.</p><p>His symbol. The one he wore on the back of his coat for years.</p><p>“Winry,” he breathed. “It’s beautiful.” Clearly she put a lot of time into the project. He traced his fingertips over the detailing lovingly. She may not have understood alchemy, or the meaning of the symbol, but she knew it was important to him. </p><p>“Open it,” she suggested. </p><p>Ed picked the pocket watch out of the box and clicked open the little latch. Unsurprisingly, the hands on the face displayed the correct time. </p><p>On the opposite side, inside the cover, lay one word. Elric. </p><p>“It’s big enough that you can put a family photo in there.” Winry explained. “One day we’ll take one of all four of us after Baby Sarah gets here.” Then you can take it with you when you travel again. We’ll always be with you.”</p><p>Tears began to form at the corner of Ed’s eyes and he blinked them away.</p><p>“Thank you. I don’t know about your gift anymore, Win,” he said with some embarrassment. “It’s not exactly something I can wrap.”</p><p>Winry’s eyes lit up with curiosity. </p><p>“You work so hard taking care of everyone else, your patients, Bennett, me, so tomorrow is our day to take care of you. Sleeping in, breakfast in bed, bubble baths, whatever you want is yours. You don’t have to lift a finger.”</p><p>She squeezed his hand affectionately. It was exactly what her aching body wanted. “You’re so sweet, Ed. That’s the perfect gift. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”</p><p>“Same.” He held the pocket watch in his other hand, expecting to feel the familiar weight of his old state alchemist pocket watch. But it wasn’t. This one was lighter, slightly smaller. And for that reason alone it was perfect. </p><p>They eventually drifted off to sleep, snuggled up on the couch as a family. Winry and Ed still held hands as the fireworks crackled and popped above them, lighting up the night’s sky. </p><p>***</p><p>Ling watched the fireworks fall like the shooting stars he grew up watching in Xing. The snow covered countryside of Resembool glowed beneath the colored lights. He lay back against the roof and stretched his arms over his head. Relaxed. Lan Fan sat beside him far more vigilant as her eyes darted between the light show and the surrounding landscape.</p><p>Sometime after dinner the two climbed through the window of the upstairs guest bedroom onto the roof. Ling shivered, unused to the frigid temperatures, and saw Lan Fan watch him out of the corner of his eyes.</p><p>His faithful shadow. </p><p>She must be freezing too, but no part of her body language, still and silent as a stone, gave any indication. Beneath the thermal layers she kept her automail arm hugged against her chest for body heat. </p><p>Winry recommended it. Though the mechanic said the temperatures here didn’t dip to low enough extremes like Northern Amestris to worry about damaging the electric nerves or the skin around the port. </p><p>She watched her breath steam and curl in front of her face. The weather in the Yao clan’s land remained warm and pleasant all year long, and though she wouldn’t admit it, she missed the long sunny days of her homeland. As the bodyguard to the prince and future emperor, she refused to let the barbaric temperatures bother her. </p><p>“We’ll be home soon enough,” Ling said quietly. </p><p>It didn’t matter how softly he spoke, she was always listening. Lan Fan nodded once, enjoying the thought. She rarely participated in the colorful New Year’s festivities in Xing, but memories of the parades and fried dumplings made her nostalgic.</p><p>“Then we can celebrate a proper New Year.”</p><p>Lan Fan heard the words that went unspoken, in the palace when I am emperor. </p><p>If Ling played the game of court politics correctly, perhaps they could be back next year in time to witness the blossoming trees, the first sign of the Xingese new year. The vial containing the philosopher’s stone weighed heavily in her master’s pocket. Returning now risked delivering immortality to the current emperor too soon. The prince’s timing must be perfect in order for him to ascend to the throne. </p><p>So for now he kept the stone safe. And she protected him as they wandered through random<br/>
Amestrian cities and villages to avoid assassins and other greedy heirs.</p><p>Ling picked up the mug of cider at his side. It had been steaming hot when they came out. He took a small sip to taste the cold drink and found it acceptable. </p><p>“To a proper New Year next year,” he said cheerfully holding the mug out for a private toast. “To wine and endless feasts. We’ll share them together.” Lan Fan picked hers up too. The mugs clicked against each other merrily.  </p><p>They drank from the cold ceramic and shivered. </p><p>And though there was no alcohol, Ling’s tongue loosened far more than usual. Maybe due to the privacy of the rooftop, or the good cheer of the evening. “I’ve got all that I need this year as long as you’re at my side.” </p><p>Lan Fan flushed, though it was difficult to tell from the cold reddening her cheeks. </p><p>“My Lord,” she warned before he could say anything further damning. “I am here to serve you,” she reminded him. Unlike Edward and Winry downstairs they would never be a couple. Ling had far greater pursuits in life than love. Lan Fan, with all of her strength, promised to let him reach his full potential. Even if it meant her place was behind the throne, hiding in the shadows, not beside it in full regalia. </p><p>“And I am forever grateful,” Ling responded sincerely. He said no more. </p><p>They turned back to watch the fireworks overhead in a comfortable silence. The explosions flared in a large display one after another in the finale, usuring in the new year.  </p><p>Lan Fan searched for the chi of those nearby. In the house she felt Ed and Winry sleeping comfortably with their children. Ling’s own chi, familiar and vibrant, reached out to her as it always had. Privately, she welcomed it. Sensing everyone’s safety, she allowed herself to sit back and enjoy the New Year’s fireworks.</p>
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